U.S. puts period on Cadet Pan American Championships with five champs, 10 medals in men's freestyle
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by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling
Photo: Peyton Robb (USA) finishes a single leg in the 69 kg semifinals at the Cadet Pan American Championships. Photo by Richard Immel, USA Wrestling.
Video: Cadet Pan American Championships Interviews
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – The Cadet Pan American Championships concluded on Sunday evening with the U.S. men once again posting a perfect 10-for-10 medal count, and crowning five champions, in freestyle action.
It was another dominant effort from the U.S. men who were led by Golden Boot recipient Michael O’Malley (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J.) and double champions Peyton Robb (Medford, Minn.) and Carson Manville (Shakopee, Minn.).
After coming up with a silver medal in Greco-Roman two days ago, O’Malley was determined to grab gold on the freestyle side. The New Jersey native took the mat three times, and three time he walked away with a 10-0 technical fall. He defeated Canada’s Carson Lee to cement his perfect run through the 76 kg/167 lbs. field and gain the men’s freestyle Outstanding Wrestler honor.
“It’s a big thing. A lot of my coaches are like ‘you won’t realize it right away how big it actually is,’ but I mean…right now it feels pretty big,” O’Malley said. “This is my first time out of the country. I like that. I finally get to wrestle some different styles and it’s cool.”
For the second time this weekend, Robb was untouchable in the 69 kg/152 lbs. field. Like O’Malley, he also wrestled three bouts to 10-0 scores. It was Canada’s Adam Scott on the receiving end of a Robb onslaught in the finals.
Between the Greco-Roman and freestyle tournaments, Robb defeated all six of his opponents by technical fall. His combined point differential across both styles was 57-0.
Manville joined his Minnesota counterpart with gold medals in both styles in Buenos Aires. He picked up three impressive wins on Sunday, including a 13-2 technical fall over Mexico’s Carlos Mendoza Pena in the 58 kg/127 lbs. finals, to claim the freestyle title.
Steamrolling to a championship at 85 kg/187 lbs. was powerful Iowan Hunter DeJong (Little Rock, Iowa). DeJong won all four of his bouts in round-robin format, including two by fall, to claim the gold. He downed silver medalist Pedro Garay Lopez of Mexico 10-4 in his final match of the day.
“I just wanted to do what I do best. I wanted to keep high pace, high tempo, get my shots, finish quick, just do what I do. I wanted to get revenge for my Greco match, so I came out guns blazing,” DeJong said.
Champion number five for the U.S. came at 46 kg/101 lbs. with Parker Decker (Keller, Texas) sweeping the field. Decker navigated to the finals with wins of 13-5 and 12-1 over international opponents. He fended off Ramon Guzman Romero of Mexico 10-7 in the gold-medal match.
“My confidence level, it was a little shaky going in here being like the youngest as a Cadet, but I knew I could hang after the Greco and felt good coming into freestyle,” Decker said. “I thought it was fun wrestling the kids from everywhere. It’s not something you get to do in the States, and some people don’t even get to do it in their lifetime, so I just thought it was pretty cool.”
Both DeJong and Decker finished with silver medals in the Greco-Roman competition on Friday.
Coming up just short of gold for the U.S. were silver medalists Hunter Lewis (Stoughton, Wis.) at 50 kg/110 lbs., King Sandoval (Waldorf, Md.) at 54 kg/119 lbs. and Jace Punke (Eureka, Ill.) at 100 kg/220 lbs. Lewis and Punke both dropped first-round bouts to Canadian opponents in round-robin action then ran the table. Sandoval won two matches before falling in a controversial final to Roberto Alejandro Blanco of Mexico, 5-2.
Greco-Roman champion Tommy Curran (Warrenville, Ill.), along with Kevon Davenport (Pontiac, Mich.), battled to bronze medals at 42 kg/92 lbs. and 63 kg/138 lbs., respectively.
The team race was tighter than expected given the American medal count. The U.S. did take the top spot with 93 team points. Canada came in a close second with 88 team points from nine medalists. Mexico slotted in at third place with 72 team points and eight medalists.
All ten U.S. men won a medal in both Greco-Roman and freestyle competition at the Cadet Pan American Championships. Add in a perfect nine-for-nine medal count from the U.S. women on Saturday, and the U.S. medaled at every weight class in which it was entered.
Complete brackets and archived matches from the event are available to U.S. residents on Trackwrestling.com.
2017 CADET PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
July 7-9 at Buenos Aires, Argentina
Final Results
42 kg/92 lbs.
Gold – Juan Lavat Cortez (Mexico)
Silver – Gregor McNeil (Canada)
Bronze – Tommy Curran (United States)
46 kg/101 lbs.
Gold – Parker Decker (United States)
Silver – Ramon Guzman Romero (Mexico)
Bronze – Junior Medinauaman (Ecuador)
Bronze – Fotis Papadopoulos (Canada)
50 kg/110 lbs.
Gold – Lachlan McNeil (Canada)
Silver – Hunter Lewis (United States)
Bronze – Gandy Mallqui Amao (Peru)
54 kg/119 lbs.
Gold – Roberto Alejandro Blanco (Mexico)
Silver – King Sandoval (United States)
Bronze – Brayden Todd (Canada)
Bronze – Bryan Hernandez Martinez (Puerto Rico)
58 kg/127 lbs.
Gold – Carson Manville (United States)
Silver – Carlos Mendoza Pena (Mexico)
Bronze – Patrik Leder (Canada)
Bronze – Esteban Perez Castellanos (Guatemala)
63 kg/138 lbs.
Gold – Trystan Kato (Canada)
Silver – Diego Sandoval Zarco (Mexico)
Bronze – Kevon Davenport (United States)
Bronze – Jorge Gatica Hinriksen (Chile)
69 kg/152 lbs.
Gold – Peyton Robb (United States)
Silver – Adam Scott (Canada)
Bronze – Onid Olavarria Montilla (Puerto Rico)
Bronze – Alfonso Villanueva Ceja (Mexico)
76 kg/167 lbs.
Gold – Michael O’Malley (United States)
Silver – Carson Lee (Canada)
Bronze – Carlos Carcelen Achig (Ecuador)
Bronze – Israel Martinez (Argentina)
85 kg/187 lbs.
Gold – Hunter DeJong (United States)
Silver – Pedro Garay Lopez (Mexico)
Bronze – Christian Salter (Puerto Rico)
100 kg/220 lbs.
Gold – Kyle Jordon (Canada)
Silver – Jace Punke (United States)
Bronze – Luis Orozco Cortez (Mexico)
U.S. men’s freestyle results
42 kg/92 lbs. – Tommy Curran, Warrenville, Ill. (Gomez WA), Bronze
WIN Jose Berdecia Cruz (Puerto Rico), 14-8
LOSS Gregor McNeil (Canada), 16-6
LOSS Juan Lavat Cortez (Mexico), 8-6
46 kg/101 lbs. – Parker Decker, Keller, Texas (Mile High WC), Gold
WIN Edgardo Garcia (Argentina), 13-5
WIN Junior Medinauaman (Ecuador), 12-1
WIN Ramon Guzman Romero (Mexico), 10-7
50 kg/110 lbs. – Hunter Lewis, Stoughton, Wis. (Team Wisconsin), Silver
LOSS Lachlan McNeil (Canada), 11-2
WIN Gandy Mallqui Amao (Peru), Fall 0:34
WIN Emanuel Pintos (Argentina), 15-2
54 kg/119 lbs. – King Sandoval, Waldorf, Md. (Team Maryland), Silver
WIN Victor Parra (Venezuela), 9-4
WIN Brayden Todd (Canada) Fall 0:51
LOSS Roberto Alejandro Blanco (Mexico), 5-2
58 kg/127 lbs. – Carson Manville, Shakopee, Minn. (Shakopee Mat Club), Gold
WIN Jose Bernal Miranda (Puerto Rico), 10-0
WIN Patrik Leder (Canada), 7-2
WIN Carlos Mendoza Pena (Mexico), 13-2
63 kg/138 lbs. – Kevon Davenport, Pontiac, Mich. (Shamrock Select), Bronze
WIN Victor Perez Duarte (Guatemala), Fall 1:10
LOSS Diego Sandoval Zarco (Mexico), 6-4
WIN Cristian De Lima Leite (Brazil), 10-6
69 kg/152 lbs. – Peyton Robb, Medford, Minn. (Pinnacle), Gold
WIN Renato Da Silva (Brazil), 10-0
WIN Onid Olavarria Montilla (Puerto Rico), 10-0
WIN Adam Scott (Canada), 10-0
76 kg/167 lbs. – Michael O’Malley, Hasbrouck Heights, N.J. (Apex), Gold
WIN Carlos Carcelen Achig (Ecuador), 10-0
WIN Oswaldo Adarme (Venezuela), 10-0
WIN Carson Lee (Canada), 10-0
85 kg/187 lbs. – Hunter DeJong, Little Rock, Iowa (MWC Wrestling Academy), Gold
WIN Marcos Barbosa Da Silva (Brazil), 10-0
WIN Sunny Benning (Canada), Fall 2:28
WIN Christian Salter (Puerto Rico), Fall 3:56
WIN Pedro Garay Lopez (Mexico), 10-4
100 kg/220 lbs. – Jace Punke, Eureka, Ill. (OS/WN), Silver
LOSS Kyle Jordon (Canada), 3-1
WIN Darwin Araujo (Venezuela), 10-0
WIN Luis Orozco Cortez (Mexico), 4-3
WIN Igor Alves De Queiroz (Brazil), 13-1
Video: Cadet Pan American Championships Interviews
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – The Cadet Pan American Championships concluded on Sunday evening with the U.S. men once again posting a perfect 10-for-10 medal count, and crowning five champions, in freestyle action.
It was another dominant effort from the U.S. men who were led by Golden Boot recipient Michael O’Malley (Hasbrouck Heights, N.J.) and double champions Peyton Robb (Medford, Minn.) and Carson Manville (Shakopee, Minn.).
After coming up with a silver medal in Greco-Roman two days ago, O’Malley was determined to grab gold on the freestyle side. The New Jersey native took the mat three times, and three time he walked away with a 10-0 technical fall. He defeated Canada’s Carson Lee to cement his perfect run through the 76 kg/167 lbs. field and gain the men’s freestyle Outstanding Wrestler honor.
“It’s a big thing. A lot of my coaches are like ‘you won’t realize it right away how big it actually is,’ but I mean…right now it feels pretty big,” O’Malley said. “This is my first time out of the country. I like that. I finally get to wrestle some different styles and it’s cool.”
For the second time this weekend, Robb was untouchable in the 69 kg/152 lbs. field. Like O’Malley, he also wrestled three bouts to 10-0 scores. It was Canada’s Adam Scott on the receiving end of a Robb onslaught in the finals.
Between the Greco-Roman and freestyle tournaments, Robb defeated all six of his opponents by technical fall. His combined point differential across both styles was 57-0.
Manville joined his Minnesota counterpart with gold medals in both styles in Buenos Aires. He picked up three impressive wins on Sunday, including a 13-2 technical fall over Mexico’s Carlos Mendoza Pena in the 58 kg/127 lbs. finals, to claim the freestyle title.
Steamrolling to a championship at 85 kg/187 lbs. was powerful Iowan Hunter DeJong (Little Rock, Iowa). DeJong won all four of his bouts in round-robin format, including two by fall, to claim the gold. He downed silver medalist Pedro Garay Lopez of Mexico 10-4 in his final match of the day.
“I just wanted to do what I do best. I wanted to keep high pace, high tempo, get my shots, finish quick, just do what I do. I wanted to get revenge for my Greco match, so I came out guns blazing,” DeJong said.
Champion number five for the U.S. came at 46 kg/101 lbs. with Parker Decker (Keller, Texas) sweeping the field. Decker navigated to the finals with wins of 13-5 and 12-1 over international opponents. He fended off Ramon Guzman Romero of Mexico 10-7 in the gold-medal match.
“My confidence level, it was a little shaky going in here being like the youngest as a Cadet, but I knew I could hang after the Greco and felt good coming into freestyle,” Decker said. “I thought it was fun wrestling the kids from everywhere. It’s not something you get to do in the States, and some people don’t even get to do it in their lifetime, so I just thought it was pretty cool.”
Both DeJong and Decker finished with silver medals in the Greco-Roman competition on Friday.
Coming up just short of gold for the U.S. were silver medalists Hunter Lewis (Stoughton, Wis.) at 50 kg/110 lbs., King Sandoval (Waldorf, Md.) at 54 kg/119 lbs. and Jace Punke (Eureka, Ill.) at 100 kg/220 lbs. Lewis and Punke both dropped first-round bouts to Canadian opponents in round-robin action then ran the table. Sandoval won two matches before falling in a controversial final to Roberto Alejandro Blanco of Mexico, 5-2.
Greco-Roman champion Tommy Curran (Warrenville, Ill.), along with Kevon Davenport (Pontiac, Mich.), battled to bronze medals at 42 kg/92 lbs. and 63 kg/138 lbs., respectively.
The team race was tighter than expected given the American medal count. The U.S. did take the top spot with 93 team points. Canada came in a close second with 88 team points from nine medalists. Mexico slotted in at third place with 72 team points and eight medalists.
All ten U.S. men won a medal in both Greco-Roman and freestyle competition at the Cadet Pan American Championships. Add in a perfect nine-for-nine medal count from the U.S. women on Saturday, and the U.S. medaled at every weight class in which it was entered.
Complete brackets and archived matches from the event are available to U.S. residents on Trackwrestling.com.
2017 CADET PAN AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIPS
July 7-9 at Buenos Aires, Argentina
Final Results
42 kg/92 lbs.
Gold – Juan Lavat Cortez (Mexico)
Silver – Gregor McNeil (Canada)
Bronze – Tommy Curran (United States)
46 kg/101 lbs.
Gold – Parker Decker (United States)
Silver – Ramon Guzman Romero (Mexico)
Bronze – Junior Medinauaman (Ecuador)
Bronze – Fotis Papadopoulos (Canada)
50 kg/110 lbs.
Gold – Lachlan McNeil (Canada)
Silver – Hunter Lewis (United States)
Bronze – Gandy Mallqui Amao (Peru)
54 kg/119 lbs.
Gold – Roberto Alejandro Blanco (Mexico)
Silver – King Sandoval (United States)
Bronze – Brayden Todd (Canada)
Bronze – Bryan Hernandez Martinez (Puerto Rico)
58 kg/127 lbs.
Gold – Carson Manville (United States)
Silver – Carlos Mendoza Pena (Mexico)
Bronze – Patrik Leder (Canada)
Bronze – Esteban Perez Castellanos (Guatemala)
63 kg/138 lbs.
Gold – Trystan Kato (Canada)
Silver – Diego Sandoval Zarco (Mexico)
Bronze – Kevon Davenport (United States)
Bronze – Jorge Gatica Hinriksen (Chile)
69 kg/152 lbs.
Gold – Peyton Robb (United States)
Silver – Adam Scott (Canada)
Bronze – Onid Olavarria Montilla (Puerto Rico)
Bronze – Alfonso Villanueva Ceja (Mexico)
76 kg/167 lbs.
Gold – Michael O’Malley (United States)
Silver – Carson Lee (Canada)
Bronze – Carlos Carcelen Achig (Ecuador)
Bronze – Israel Martinez (Argentina)
85 kg/187 lbs.
Gold – Hunter DeJong (United States)
Silver – Pedro Garay Lopez (Mexico)
Bronze – Christian Salter (Puerto Rico)
100 kg/220 lbs.
Gold – Kyle Jordon (Canada)
Silver – Jace Punke (United States)
Bronze – Luis Orozco Cortez (Mexico)
U.S. men’s freestyle results
42 kg/92 lbs. – Tommy Curran, Warrenville, Ill. (Gomez WA), Bronze
WIN Jose Berdecia Cruz (Puerto Rico), 14-8
LOSS Gregor McNeil (Canada), 16-6
LOSS Juan Lavat Cortez (Mexico), 8-6
46 kg/101 lbs. – Parker Decker, Keller, Texas (Mile High WC), Gold
WIN Edgardo Garcia (Argentina), 13-5
WIN Junior Medinauaman (Ecuador), 12-1
WIN Ramon Guzman Romero (Mexico), 10-7
50 kg/110 lbs. – Hunter Lewis, Stoughton, Wis. (Team Wisconsin), Silver
LOSS Lachlan McNeil (Canada), 11-2
WIN Gandy Mallqui Amao (Peru), Fall 0:34
WIN Emanuel Pintos (Argentina), 15-2
54 kg/119 lbs. – King Sandoval, Waldorf, Md. (Team Maryland), Silver
WIN Victor Parra (Venezuela), 9-4
WIN Brayden Todd (Canada) Fall 0:51
LOSS Roberto Alejandro Blanco (Mexico), 5-2
58 kg/127 lbs. – Carson Manville, Shakopee, Minn. (Shakopee Mat Club), Gold
WIN Jose Bernal Miranda (Puerto Rico), 10-0
WIN Patrik Leder (Canada), 7-2
WIN Carlos Mendoza Pena (Mexico), 13-2
63 kg/138 lbs. – Kevon Davenport, Pontiac, Mich. (Shamrock Select), Bronze
WIN Victor Perez Duarte (Guatemala), Fall 1:10
LOSS Diego Sandoval Zarco (Mexico), 6-4
WIN Cristian De Lima Leite (Brazil), 10-6
69 kg/152 lbs. – Peyton Robb, Medford, Minn. (Pinnacle), Gold
WIN Renato Da Silva (Brazil), 10-0
WIN Onid Olavarria Montilla (Puerto Rico), 10-0
WIN Adam Scott (Canada), 10-0
76 kg/167 lbs. – Michael O’Malley, Hasbrouck Heights, N.J. (Apex), Gold
WIN Carlos Carcelen Achig (Ecuador), 10-0
WIN Oswaldo Adarme (Venezuela), 10-0
WIN Carson Lee (Canada), 10-0
85 kg/187 lbs. – Hunter DeJong, Little Rock, Iowa (MWC Wrestling Academy), Gold
WIN Marcos Barbosa Da Silva (Brazil), 10-0
WIN Sunny Benning (Canada), Fall 2:28
WIN Christian Salter (Puerto Rico), Fall 3:56
WIN Pedro Garay Lopez (Mexico), 10-4
100 kg/220 lbs. – Jace Punke, Eureka, Ill. (OS/WN), Silver
LOSS Kyle Jordon (Canada), 3-1
WIN Darwin Araujo (Venezuela), 10-0
WIN Luis Orozco Cortez (Mexico), 4-3
WIN Igor Alves De Queiroz (Brazil), 13-1
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